


The Smaller Kinds of Avenging

by RoseRose



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Grocery Shopping, M/M, Self-Insert, Sexist Language, Tony Stark Bingo 2020, asshole customers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23102692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseRose/pseuds/RoseRose
Summary: An associate at a grocery store is having a *very* bad day until Tony Stark shows up. Bucky Barnes is also there to save the day.Unabashed self-insert wish fulfillment. Sometimes I just want Tony Stark to save me from the worst customers out there.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 23
Kudos: 168
Collections: Tony Stark Bingo 2020





	The Smaller Kinds of Avenging

**Author's Note:**

> Completely unbeta'd
> 
> For the Tony Stark Bingo:
> 
> Title: The Smaller Kinds of Avenging  
> Collaborator Name: RoseRose  
> Card Number: 3057  
> Square Filled (Letter/number AND prompt): T3 Doing Groceries  
> Ship/Main Pairing: WinterIron  
> Rating: G  
> Major Tags: Self Insert, Sexist Language  
> Summary: An associate at a grocery store is having a *very* bad day until Tony Stark shows up. Bucky Barnes is also there to save the day.
> 
> Unabashed self-insert wish fulfillment. Sometimes I just want Tony Stark to save me from the worst customers out there.  
> Word Count: 1490

It had been a very long day. For some reason, all the customers were grumpy, and blaming the poor associate for things that weren’t her fault. Worse, the manager on duty was one who, instead of backing the associates up, would override policy to give the customers what they wanted. One particularly obnoxious customer had wanted to return a $400 mixer they had purchased a year ago. The store had a ninety day return policy, so she denied the return.The customer then started cursing at her, and rudely demanding a manager. Eventually he got to that pushover manager, who told the associate to just do the return. Then he left. He didn’t even stay to mark down that he was the one overriding policy. She did the return, and the customer proceeded to hurl abuse at her for not doing the return in the first place, especially calling her incompetent.

Fortunately, the associate was now at self-checkout, not the customer service desk, so the policy issues were smaller, and less likely to cause that kind of problem. Still, the customers were incredibly obnoxious that day. She was so busy arguing with a customer who wanted to buy cigarettes with an expired ID she didn’t notice the person coming in to the store until he spoke from behind her.

“Now, that’s no way to treat the nice associate. Why don’t you go ahead and leave, and I won’t proceed to ruin your life.” 

The man, a bit too focused on the associate’s breasts, didn’t realize at first who was talking to him. So, before he looked up he started, “Who the hell do you think…” he trailed off as he realized he was talking to Tony Stark, then visibly gathered his bravado to continue. “ Why the hell do you care about some dumb cashier who won’t even do her job? She’s just an idiot. I’m sure you have better things to do.”

She looked at Tony Stark, and saw his eyes narrow. The nasty customer gulped audibly and then Tony Stark started to speak again. “No. I don’t have anything better to do than defend her from your _completely unwarranted_ abuse. If you don’t leave the store now, I’m going to make sure you’re audited by the IRS for the rest of your life.” The man turned tail and fled, but before she could thank Mr. Stark for helping her, another customer called over, loudly.

“This shirt is ringing up wrong! It was marked seventy five percent off, but it’s ringing up full price!”

“Thank you Mr. Stark. I really appreciate your help, but now I need to go help someone else. Thank you again.” Walking away, wishing she had a chance to talk to him, she came over to the customer. “Ma’am, that’s a forty dollar shirt. I’ll need to call the apparel manager about it.”

After calling the apparel manager, and finding out the shirt should be forty percent off, the associate went back to the customer, passing by Mr. Stark on her way. She idly wondered why he hadn’t left yet. After she informed the customer of what the price of the shirt was, the yelling commenced, again.

“What! That is unacceptable! It should be ten dollars!”

“Ma’am, if you don’t want it at twenty eight dollars, I can certainly remove it from your order.” Just as she said that, the manager who gives in to all the customers walked by.

“What’s going on?” As the customer explained her position to the manager, he said to just do it, without even asking for the associate’s side. He then walked away, and was still in hearing when the customer started to gloat.

“See? I told you that was right. Now do your job, or are you too incompetent?”

After the customer said that, everything felt like a dream, because Tony Stark came to the rescue for the second time in a single night. “Seriously, lady? Why the hell are you yelling at the poor girl? Sometimes managers can approve things associates can’t. Also, you’re being an absolute asshole. Shut up and let her do her job.” After that customer was done, there was a lull in the traffic, and she blinked as Tony Stark came up to her to ask questions.

“Hey. Is it always this bad? Cause I think you might have it harder than dealing with the SI board with those customers.”

She was honest when replying. “This is an especially bad day. Usually I have one or two of the bad customers all day, not two in five minutes, plus the ones earlier.”

“Still, does the manager ever back you up? That seems tough.” Tony’s eyes (she was starting to think of him as just Tony) were filled with sympathy and compassion.

“That manager doesn’t. Some of the others do. A few more will give in to the customers but make it clear that it’s something that needs a manager and is a rare thing, not something I should have done.”

Tony nodded then pulled out a wad of cash and peeled off a few bills. “Here. You deserve a tip for what you put up with.”

Shaking her head, she refused. “We’re not allowed to take tips. I could be fired for taking one.”

“You’re not allowed to take tips? How much do you make?”

“Less than fifty cents above minimum wage. I’m not maxed out on pay, though. People who are make a couple dollars above minimum.”

Tony’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re dealing with all this, for that kind of pay? Seriously? Let me see what I can do…” Tony then wandered off, only to stop when he saw Bucky Barnes in some guy’s face at the next checkstand. The associate wandered over to hear what was going on, only to hear Bucky Barnes berating a customer who looked to be in his fifties or sixties.

“Did I just hear you ask if this young lady was legal? And then when she said she was, proposition her? Despite you probably being old enough to be her grandfather? And her showing no sign of interest?!” Bucky’s voice was laced with rage, and the way he looked could only be described as murderous. Apparently, though, the man he was talking to was at least as stupid as the earlier customer.

“What, she smiled at me! Clearly she likes me!”

Bucky laughed. The sound held no amusement, only mocking. “You mean, the person paid to be nice to customers smiled at you? You really think that means anything more than it’s her job? Really? That’s sad.”

The man started to speak one more time. This time, Bucky didn’t let him get a word out. “You’ve spent enough time harassing the poor cashier. You’ve paid for your groceries. _Now get out._ ” The last bit was said with a tone of such menace that the man fled the store, proverbial tail between his legs.

As the man fled, Tony looked up from his phone. There was a soft smile on his face as he looked over at Bucky Barnes, and the associate barely heard him quietly say, “That’s my man.” He then beckoned over the two associates he had witnessed being verbally abused by customers. “So, this isn’t going to go through until next week. Planning and that bullshit. But, just so you know, I’ve bought this store, and so you’ll be getting a raise. And able to tell customers who are being assholes exactly what they’re being. As for you two, for alerting me to this possibility, any debt you have is going to be paid off. Oh, and there’s a full college ride for whatever degree you want. I don’t know if you already have one and it didn’t work out or if you didn’t get one. Either way, have a degree, on me. Given what you dealt with just today, you deserve it. Ms. Potts will be giving you a call to set it up. Hope your day goes better from here.” And then Tony Stark left.

The associate would have thought that entire day was a dream, except the next day, her coworker came up and asked if she remembered what had happened. Since she did, there was happy squeals and anticipation. They were ready to let customers know they weren’t pushovers.

A few weeks later, Tony Stark was completely dumbfounded to find a thank you bouquet and chocolates on his desk.

A few years later, a young woman who had once been a cashier started her job at Stark Industries, and wouldn’t let anyone badmouth the owner in front of her.

A year or two after that, Tony Stark was surprised to find an actually personalized rather than just signed first edition of a newly published book, by a middle aged former self checkout attendant on his desk with the mail delivery..

It made the New York Times Bestseller list right away.


End file.
